One of the horror genre's "most widely read critics" (Rue Morgue # 68), "an accomplished film journalist" (Comic Buyer's Guide #1535), and the award-winning author of Horror Films of the 1980s (2007), The Rock and Roll Film Encyclopedia (2007) and Horror Films of the 1970s (2002), John Kenneth Muir, presents his blog on film, television and nostalgia, named one of the Top 100 Film Studies Blog on the Net.

Wednesday, November 04, 2015

007 Week: My Top Five Bond Cars

Now -- normally -- I’m not exactly a big “car” guy, so perhaps I'm the wrong person to compile this list of great Bond cars. That description -- not being a car guy -- might change, however, if cars on the market today were to come equipped
with ejector seats, lasers, tire spikes, and the like.

Also,
my definition of a “Top Five” Bond car may differ radically from the norm. For me, it’s not so much how hot the car
looks that matters Or even how fast it goes. We expect a Bond car
to boast nice lines, after all.

Rather,
my top five cars have been chosen because of how they are utilized in a
particular film’s narrative.

In
other words, I’m looking at how the cars fit in, overall, with story, theme,
and action. How do they function in terms of telling a story?

After
all, doesn’t it get boring and highly selective to choose between an Audi 200
Avant and an Audi 200 Quattro, for example?

Plus,
in real life, the AMC Hornet was the only vehicle in the world that could make the film’s bridge jump
successfully. It wasn’t a Porsche. It wasn’t a Lotus. It wasn’t an Audi or an Aston Martin.

Nope,
it was a Hornet! The car deserves some
credit for performing an otherwise impossible stunt, which is why it makes the
list.

4.
Citroen 2CV. For Your Eyes Only (1981).

Another
non-traditional choice, I readily admit, and it comes from my absolute favorite
Roger Moore era Bond film. This movie
followed Moonraker in series continuity, and to one extent or another, For
Your Eyes Only was all about “re-grounding” the 007 mythos after the
space adventuring of the previous film (not to mention the slapstick shtick of
Jaws…).

Early
in the film, Bond is on the run with lovely Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet)
when a bunch of goons bash the window on his expensive, tech-heavy Lotus
Esprit. The car’s self-destruct
mechanism promptly activates, leaving Bond and Melina to a little yellow
Citroen. What follows is one of the best
and most inventive car chases in the 007 mythos as Bond uses the Citroen’s unexpected
advantages -- a small size, extreme
maneuverability and even durability -- against his numerous opponents.

3
Bentley 4.5 Litre. Never Say Never Again (1983).

Again,
I must assume this is an unlikely choice for many Bond fans. The Bentley in Never Say Never Again isn’t
utilized in a car chase, and it features no gadgets whatsoever. In fact, we see it only briefly as Bond
drives to a health clinic.

But
this 1930s-era car still looks great and that’s
the point. Age doesn’t matter. This was a metaphor, of course, for the
return of Sean Connery in the role of a lifetime after a departure of more than
a decade. Connery was older, yes, and
his hair was thinning. But as Bond, he
could still get the job done with panache.
“They don’t make them like they used to,” says a valet as Bond
drives up in his Bentley. “She’s still in pretty good shape,” Bond
replies. And the same thing goes for Mr.
Connery.

2.
Lotus Esprit S1. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

This
car was to kids of the Moore Era of the 1970s what the Aston Martin DB5 was to
kids in the 1960s Connery Era. It was a
fabulously “cool” car in appearance, but also one given a fantasy sheen in
terms of its unusual capabilities.

In
this case, of course, the Lotus Esprit could double as a compact submarine, and
was literally a transforming car. Heavily-
armed, and deadly on land or at sea, the Lotus Esprit is one of Bond’s all-time
best cars. The only point against the
Lotus is that it is responsible for the death of Caroline Munro’s character,
Naomi.

1.
Aston Martin DB5. Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965).

This
is likely the one car on the list that isn’t a surprise, I assume, since it has
been termed “The most famous car in the
world.”

Today,
we all recognize the silver Aston Martin DB5 is crucial part of the Goldfinger-- and Bond -- mystique. That third
007 film is nearly perfect in so many regards, and introduced so many of the “core”
elements of the series, from the slightly cheeky (but spectacular…) pre-title
sequence to the soldier villain with the weird personal characteristics (Odd
Job). The Aston Martin is part of that
equation. It’s every kid’s dream car: stylish,
fast and kitted-up with ejector seat, rear water tanks, rotating license plate,
tire spikes, bullet-proof shield and more.

In
one way or another, this Bond car inspired every one that came after it. If we dream about owning a Bond car, I
readily admit a Citroen or a Hornet doesn’t cut the mustard.But the Aston Martin DB5 likely tops every
fan’s dream list.

No comments:

Post a Comment

About John

award-winning author of 27 books including Horror Films FAQ (2013), Horror Films of the 1990s (2011), Horror Films of the 1980s (2007), TV Year (2007), The Rock and Roll Film Encyclopedia (2007), Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair (2006),, Best in Show: The Films of Christopher Guest and Company (2004), The Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi (2004), An Askew View: The Films of Kevin Smith (2002), The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film & Television (2004), Exploring Space:1999 (1997), An Analytical Guide to TV's Battlestar Galactica (1998), Terror Television (2001), Space:1999 - The Forsaken (2003) and Horror Films of the 1970s (2002).

Follow by Email

What the Critics Say...

"...some of the best writing about the genre has been done by John Kenneth Muir. I am particularly grateful to him for the time and attention he's paid to things others have overlooked, under-appreciated and often written off. His is a fan's perspective first, but with a critic's eye to theme and underscore, to influence and pastiche..." - Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, in the foreword to Horror Films FAQ (October 2013).

"Hands down, John Kenneth Muir is one of the finest critics and writers working today. His deep analysis of contemporary American culture is always illuminating and insightful. John's film writing and criticism is outstanding and a great place to start for any budding writer, but one should also examine his work on comic books, TV, and music. His weighty catalog of books and essays combined with his significant blog production places him at the top of pop culture writers. Johns work is essential in understanding the centrality of culture in modern society." - Professor Bob Batchelor, cultural historian and Executive Director of the James Pedas Communication Center at Thiel College (2014).

"...an independent film scholar, [Muir] explains film studies concepts in a language that is reader-friendly and engaging..." (The Hindu, 2007)"...Muir's genius lies in his giving context to the films..." (Choice, 2007)